SpeechActTheory言语行为理论

SpeechActTheorykerisIntroductionSpeechacttheoryisamajortheoryofbothlanguagephilosophyandpragmatics.ItwasoriginallyputforwardbyordinarylanguagephilosophyJohnL.AustinandJohnR.Searleintheearlyfiftiesofthelastcentury.Theessenceofthistheorymainlyconcernsthatlanguageisoftenusedto“dothings”,toperformactsandtoemphasizereallanguageusageinactualsituation.Itchallengesthe“truth-value”statementandopensanewareaoflinguistics--pragmatics.Thistheoryexplainsthenatureoflinguisticcommunication.Thecoreofthecommunicationistodealwithlanguage,thingsandaction.ConstativesVSPerformativesConstativesarestatementsthateitherstateordescribe,andtheyhavethepropertyofbeingeithertrueorfalse.Performatives,bycontrast,havenotruth-value;theyareusedtodosomething.Constativeutterance（言有所述）

Theearthisround./Wearehavingclass.Performativeutterance（言有所为）Ipromisetogiveyoutendollars.FelicityconditionsA.(i)Theremustbeaconventionalprocedurehavingaconventionaleffect.(ii)Thecircumstancesandpersonsmustbeappropriate,asspecifiedintheprocedure.B.Theproceduremusebeexecuted(i)correctlyand(ii)completely.C.(i)Thepersonsmusthavetherequisitethoughts,feelingsandintentions,asspecifiedintheprocedure,and(ii)ifconsequentconductisspecified,therelevantpartiesmustsodo.ExplicitperformativesVSImplicitperformativesFirstpersonsubject,simplepresenttense,indicativemood,activevoice,performativeverbsIpromiseIwillattendyourwedding.IpromiseI’llbethere.IadmitIwasfoolish.withoutperformativeverbsIwillattendyourwedding.Howaboutsometea?Sitdown.Aperformativeverb

isa

verb

thatexplicitlyconveysthekindof

speechact

beingperformed—suchas

promise,invite,apologize,

predict,vow,request,warn,insist,

and

forbid.Collapseofthedichotomy

Problems:Containingaperformativeverbdoesnotnecessarilymaketheutteranceitselfperformative.IpromisedtoherthatIwouldhelpher.Everyactofsayingisdoing.--Directspeechact--IndirectspeechactWillyougoornot?/I’maskingyouifyouwillgoornot.He’sdishonest./I’mtellingyouthatheisdishonest.AnutterancewithaperformativeverbmaynotbethetypeofactsuggestedbytheverbAkidnapper:Iadviseyoutogivemeallinyourpocket.ReformulationofSpeechActTheory

Locutionaryact（以言指事）:theactofverballysayingsomething.Illocutionaryact（以言行事）:theintendedactbehindsayingsomething.Perlocutionaryact（以言成事）:theintendedeffect/happeningofanillocutionaryact.Utteranceacts,propositionalacts,Illocutionaryacts,PerlocutionaryactsClassifyingillocutionaryactsAustin:

verdictives裁决类

exercitives行使职权类

commisives承诺类

expositives阐述类

behavitives表态行为类Searle:

representatives阐述类

directives指令类

commisives承诺类

expressives表达类

declarations宣告类DirectspeechactVSIndirectspeechactIfthereisadirectmatchbetweenasentencetypeandanillocutionaryforce,wehaveadirectspeechact.IpromiseIwillattendyourwedding.Iorderyoutolistentothenews.IadmitIwasfoolish.Ifthereisnodirectrelationshipbetweenasentencetypeandanillocutionaryforce.wearefacedwithanindirectspeechact.Canyoupassthesalt?Canyouturnoffthelight?NeglectofContextSpeechacttheoryemphasizesthewords'meaninginconversation,butitneglectsthesocialandculturalbackgroundsA:Itishothere?B:OK,Iwillturnonthefan.A:XiaoWangisnotanhonestman.B:Itishothere.M:Doyouhavesupper?N:Yes,Howaboutyou?ProblemsofIndirectSpeechActIndirectspeechactemphasizesthehearer,whereastheillocutionaryactpaysmoreattentiontothespeaker.However,theyhavemanyoverlappingmeanings.Forexample:A:Doyouknowthemeaningofthesewords?B:Don'tyouhaveadictio